IAM RoadSmart

The customer

Founded in 1956, IAM RoadSmart is the UK’s largest independent road safety charity. With nearly 70,000 members nationwide, the organisation works with individuals and businesses to deliver a broad range of training courses and educational programmes. From advanced driver courses to specialist assessments and workshops, IAM RoadSmart’s core mission is to make the roads safer for everyone. 

Internally, the charity operates with a team of nearly 70 employees, supported by 5,000 volunteers across the UK, delivering programmes and courses from their Welwyn Garden City HQ and in the field. But while their external mission was expansive, their internal performance management processes were lagging behind. 

Four years into their journey with OpenBlend, we caught up with Susan Abery, HR Manager at IAM RoadSmart to explore what drove their need for change, how OpenBlend became the performance platform of choice, and the notable impact it’s had since its deployment in 2021. 

The challenge 

IAM RoadSmart didn’t set out to overhaul their entire performance management culture. Initially, the goal was simple: they wanted to bring their paper-based performance processes online. However, they quickly realised that the opportunity was bigger than just digitisation. Their existing approach lacked structure, created friction, and performance conversations were solely manager-led.

As Susan explains, “We were using a paper-based system for performance reviews. It was very confusing, not well defined, and a lot of hard work.” 

With outdated paper-based rating systems and no digital way of managing performance goals and evaluations, IAM RoadSmart struggled to implement performance objectives and deliver a consistent experience in the appraisal process. 

Yet, what began as a performance management overhaul evolved into a broader ambition that OpenBlend helped to unlock: empowering employees to take the lead in their 1:1s with their managers and, in doing so, create a culture of openness and accountability. 

Why OpenBlend? 

It all started with a referral. 

A trustee who had used OpenBlend recommended the platform. But it wasn’t just the benefits that won IAM RoadSmart over.

“One of the things we loved right away, and what attracted us to OpenBlend over other systems... was the ethos,” Susan shares. It puts the employee in the driving seat, allowing them to bring the conversation topics they need to in their 1:1s with their manager, and in doing so, helps “break down barriers... and develop very open conversations.” 

In addition to the 1:1 focus and core performance management features, one of the main selling points when it came to selecting the platform over alternatives was OpenBlend’s Motivators and Wellbeing modules. By embedding these topics into performance conversations from the outset, OpenBlend perfectly aligned with the performance culture IAM RoadSmart wanted to champion across the organisation. 

A new way to manage performance  

Initially the IAM RoadSmart team launched OpenBlend to improve the quality of performance-related conversations between managers and employees and introduce a digitised performance review process end-to-end. Today, IAM RoadSmart rely on the platform for everything from probation reviews to coaching conversations and performance check-ins.  

Everyone now has objectives: “they're all SMART... and we know what we're working to.” This clarity has improved communication across the business, but more importantly, it’s driving action. People are more accountable, better aligned, and able to prioritise their work with confidence. Susan adds, “We have an all-staff [objective] as well so that everyone knows what they’re working to in terms of the overarching aim of the charity.” 

The performance review cycle now includes two formal touchpoints – a mid-year and end-of-year review – where teams reflect, review, and update progress. With an intuitive, trackable process, employees are more accountable, objectives stay visible, and progress is regularly monitored. This creates full transparency, drives consistent follow-through on agreed actions, and delivers a more structured, aligned experience across the organisation. 

But the real shift has been in how frequently and meaningfully people engage. In addition to the formal evaluation cycle and regular tracking of performance objectives, Susan explains how teams across IAM RoadSmart use OpenBlend “monthly, fortnightly, and even weekly – however often they have their own 1:1s within the team” to have genuinely open conversations. 

The platform puts the onus, to a degree, on employees to shape their 1:1s. By owning their agenda and focus areas (even outside of formal review points) employees are becoming more intentional and proactive in how they engage with their managers. 

This shift hasn’t just changed how performance is managed; it’s changed how people show up. With clear goals, regular 1:1 conversation, and shared ownership of objectives, performance conversations have become more meaningful, more consistent, and a powerful driver of both individual and organisational growth. 

Added benefits 

“We also use it for probation reviews… Before, it was a paper-based form that very rarely got used. Now, it’s system-generated, so I don’t even have to think about [prompting or reminding] our managers”, Susan explains. With a few simple questions that they’ve set up on OpenBlend, they now know that probation review discussions are happening across the charity. 

The impact 

Since launching OpenBlend, IAM RoadSmart have reported a tangible shift in culture: 

• Stronger accountability: Every employee now has clearly defined, regularly updated objectives. Managers are more confident in guiding performance, and employees feel true ownership over their progress. With SMART objectives now set across departments and teams, the process ensures consistency in how performance is tracked and monitored, creating alignment and driving accountability across the organisation. 

• Better 1:1 conversations: With structured, employee-led 1:1s, managers can support their teams more effectively. Conversations are more frequent, more meaningful, and way more productive. 

• Wellbeing and individual employee needs prioritised: The Motivators module helps managers understand what really matters to their people, while the Wellbeing feature creates space for honest, early conversations around any issues that might be affecting an employee’s ability to do their job. While employees may not want to discuss wellbeing at every check-in, the platform’s intuitive design alerts managers when motivator or wellbeing scores drop – prompting timely, supportive conversations. This enables managers to step in and offer help before issues begin to seriously impact work or personal wellbeing. 

By enabling transparent 1:1 conversation and giving employees a clear sense of ownership over their objectives, OpenBlend has contributed to a workplace where expectations are understood, feedback is frequent, and performance is consistently supported and recognised. 

What’s next for IAM RoadSmart and their partnership with OpenBlend? 

Having rolled out Lightbulb last year, IAM RoadSmart is not just equipping managers with the necessary tools for effective coaching but is also prioritising the development of confidence in their managers. With OpenBlend’s in-the-moment coaching tool, both new and seasoned managers are gaining practical support for handling challenging conversations and navigating the realities of what it truly means to be a people manager. 

As Susan puts it, “Lightbulb is really good for helping newer managers who haven’t managed before, and I think it’s a great place to go for support, especially if they need to have tricky conversations they might not have had before.” 

In March this year, Susan and the team at IAM RoadSmart implemented a new reward and recognition scheme. It’s based around their values, and OpenBlend’s High Five module is a driver of this. Susan can see all the data and who has been given High Fives on the admin side. Achievements are celebrated weekly, and a new monthly round-up is in the works to showcase wins across the business. 

Looking ahead, the charity is focused on uniting the team and driving collective momentum behind OpenBlend. Susan sums it up: “The goal is to get everyone on board and singing from the same hymn sheet, which hopefully we already are. But really, it’s about digging in, working together, collaborating, and doing the best we can for us as a team.” 

To learn more about how OpenBlend transforms 1:1s to boost performance and develop people, get in touch with our team today.